Scratch Map® Poster Inspiration: Mauritius

Picture paradise…and now picture something more perfect than paradise and that’s Mauritius. Located in the Indian Ocean, about 2,000 kilometres southeast off the African continent, this tiny tropical island is a big step for small islands and an even bigger step for your Scratch Map poster. With tropical clear-water beaches and multiple wildlife reserves, you’re sure to come back an awesome zoologist studying beach goer with a great tan – how enviable!

The first and most important thing to do once landing in Mauritius is to unpack your bird-watching binoculars and totally pretend you’re David Attenborough in a real life nature documentary. Having saved more birds from extinction than any other country, wildlife tourism in Mauritius is growing in a big way. At Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve you can spot our feathered friends along with giant tortoises, dolphins, whales and the odd giant fish with teeth…commonly known as sharks. We hate to spoil the fun but this may be the one holiday where it’s not appropriate to play the whole ‘pretending to be a shark underwater game!’ Cue Jaws theme tune.

If you’d prefer to keep your feet dry, or even just keep your feet (because of all the sharks, LOL) then head to d’Eau or Macchabée Forest where you can explore this beautiful country through mountain biking, hiking, horse-riding and even championship-standard golf courses. During this visit it’s a great chance to have a guided tour and learn about this good-doing island’s eco-friendly lifestyle and how it’s home to multiple green hotels and houses. Why not become a true eco-warrior for a week by staying in an awesome eco-safari tent lodge based along the east coast in Deux Freres? Here you can lounge lovingly in lagoons and kayak along Mauritius’ longest river, Grande Riviere. Goodbye social media, hello recycled rainwater!

Next up is the grub where foodies of the world can rejoice! During your epic visit make sure to drive out to The Vale for some delicious Mauritian home cooking where you can try the local specialities like ourite safrané (octopus cooked in garlic and ginger) and chilli lamb. If however you’re sticking near the beaches at Belle Mare Plage, beachside shacks will serve scrummy fresh fish just off the boat. Or, heaven forbid you’re travelling with a slight fusspot, book a table at a luxury resort (they’re certainly not in short supply!) where you will be offered a mix of everything from the community like Chinese, French and Mauritius’ Indian. Decisions, decisions…

Once back on home soil with your Scratch Map poster you can proudly uncover this good influence island with all its eco-friendly, wildlife-saving ways. Mark Twain once wrote ‘Mauritius was made first and then heaven, heaven being copied after Mauritius’. And here at Luckies we are glad Mr Twain wrote that because it not only makes us look dead smart by ending on a quote, but we also couldn’t have said it better ourselves.